12 Easy Apple Jam Recipes

Homemade apple jam captures fall in a jar. These twelve recipes go beyond basic — spiced, caramel, boozy, and savory-sweet versions, all with simple canning-friendly methods.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Classic Spiced Apple Jam

The cozy, cinnamon-kissed original.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples, peeled and diced
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Simmer apples, water, lemon juice 15 minutes.
2. Mash or blend to desired texture.
3. Add sugar and cinnamon.
4. Boil hard 10 minutes, stirring.
5. Ladle into sterilized jars; process 10 minutes.

2. Brown Sugar Apple Jam

Deep caramel notes from brown sugar.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cook apples with lemon juice until soft.
2. Stir in sugars, vanilla, nutmeg.
3. Boil 12 minutes until thick.
4. Test set on a cold plate.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

3. Apple Cider Jam

Concentrated cider flavor in spreadable form.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Reduce cider by half.
2. Add apples and lemon; cook 15 minutes.
3. Stir in sugar.
4. Boil 10 minutes, stirring.
5. Add butter to reduce foam; jar and process.

4. Maple Apple Jam

Maple adds woodsy sweetness.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 2.5 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Simmer apples, lemon juice 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar, maple, cinnamon.
3. Boil hard 10 minutes.
4. Skim foam.
5. Ladle into jars; process 10 minutes.

5. Ginger Apple Jam

Warming ginger zing with tart apples.

Ingredients

• 4 lb tart apples
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp crystallized ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

1. Cook apples and lemon juice until soft.
2. Add sugar and gingers.
3. Boil 10 minutes.
4. Test for set.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

6. Bourbon Vanilla Apple Jam

Boozy, grown-up, and gift-worthy.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Simmer apples and lemon 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar, cinnamon.
3. Boil 8 minutes.
4. Off heat, stir in bourbon and vanilla.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

7. Cranberry Apple Jam

Tart cranberries brighten sweet apples.

Ingredients

• 3 lb apples
• 2 lb cranberries
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest

Instructions

1. Cook cranberries, apples, juices 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar and zest.
3. Boil 10 minutes, stirring.
4. Test set.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

8. Vanilla Cardamom Apple Jam

Floral, fragrant, and elegant.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1/2 tsp cardamom

Instructions

1. Simmer apples, lemon, vanilla bean 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar and cardamom.
3. Boil 10 minutes.
4. Remove vanilla bean.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

9. Salted Caramel Apple Jam

Tastes like caramel apples in a jar.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup caramel sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Cook apples and lemon until soft.
2. Add sugar; boil 8 minutes.
3. Stir in caramel and sea salt.
4. Boil 2 more minutes.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

10. Spicy Jalapeño Apple Jam

Sweet heat — amazing with cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

Instructions

1. Simmer apples, lemon, jalapeños 15 minutes.
2. Add sugar.
3. Boil hard 10 minutes.
4. Test set on cold plate.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

11. Apple Pear Jam

Pears add floral softness to the apples.

Ingredients

• 3 lb apples
• 2 lb pears
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Cook apples, pears, lemon 15 minutes.
2. Mash to texture.
3. Add sugar and cinnamon.
4. Boil 10 minutes.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.

12. Honey-Sweetened Apple Jam

No refined sugar — just honey and fruit.

Ingredients

• 4 lb apples
• 2 cups honey
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves

Instructions

1. Simmer apples and lemon 15 minutes.
2. Stir in honey and spices.
3. Boil gently 15 minutes until thick.
4. Test set.
5. Jar and process 10 minutes.